Why 2027 Athletics Will Be Completely Different Team

The Athletics' Opening Day lineup this past season was very solid and went as follows: 1B Nick Kurtz, C Shea Langeliers, LF Tyler Soderstrom, DH Brent Rooker, SS Jacob Wilson, RF Lawrence Butler , 3B Max Muncy, 2B Jeff McNeil, and CF Denzel Clarke. Not too shabby at all.

But as we know, six of the nine players in this lineup would miss extended time due to injury. Luis Severino, the starter for this game, would also miss the majority of the season. Even though injuries are horrible, it may have been a blessing in disguise in 2026, as it revealed multiple consistent contributors.

Next season, the Athletics’ lineup could look something like this (new players in bold): CF Henry Bolte, 1B Nick Kurtz, 3B Zack Gelof , C Shea Langeliers, SS Jacob Wilson, LF Tyler Soderstrom, RF Lawrence Butler, DH Brent Rooker, and either Joshua Kuroda-Grauer or Donovan Walton at 2B.

I mean, come on. Realistically, this lineup has no easy out. With Bolte and Kurtz at the top, the Athletics should be able to score early and consistently, not to mention what Gelof and Langeliers bring. On top of that, the middle of the lineup—Wilson, Soderstrom, and Butler—could easily be a leadoff trio for many MLB teams this season.

Solid Lineup = More Pitching Additions

The Athletics' talent pool is overflowing. Aside from the players mentioned above, the Athletics also have Tommy White, Alika Williams, Denzel Clarke, and either JKG or Donovan Walton at their disposal. This gives the Athletics flexibility as they look to improve their pitching staff.

If the Athletics decide to move on from any of the players mentioned above, they likely won't feel the consequences. Beyond the reserve talent mentioned in the previous section, we could see significant Triple-A talent get called up. Devin Taylor, Jamie Arnold, and maybe even Leo De Vries later on.

Final Thoughts

The Athletics will be a very fun team to watch in 2027. As we have seen, the Athletics already have a golden lineup, plus a strong group of reserves waiting to get their number called. With this luxury, the Athletics can address their pitching staff adequately. And when that happens...playoffs.